As more churches transition to online services, the importance of digital church bulletins has become evident. So, how can you create an ideal church bulletin?

We're here to help you craft a well-organised digital church bulletin. By following these simple guidelines, you'll be able to clearly communicate church news, service details, and other important information.

Why Use a Digital Church Bulletin?

A church bulletin is essential for communicating with your congregation, regardless of its size or demographic. A well-organised digital church bulletin serves as the primary source of information for your church members, providing details about the church, upcoming events, ministry opportunities, and more. It benefits virtual attendees, allowing them to access service information, announcements, prayers, and other communications during online worship services.

This Bible Notes App can benefit those looking to enhance their digital church bulletin with interactive features.

Getting Started

Before you start writing, using a template for your weekly bulletin format is crucial. Explore other church websites and resources to see their bulletin designs for inspiration. This can help you understand the most relevant information to your local community.

Proverbs 27:17 states, "As iron sharpens iron, so one man helps another." If you need more time, involve a few people in the design process. Having multiple perspectives can provide valuable feedback, encouragement, and constructive criticism. While you don't need a team to edit your bulletin every week, their input can benefit the initial design.

You can easily create your bulletin with minimal effort using Canva. This drag-and-drop editor offers numerous templates to choose from. Once you've selected a template, add your unique content and download the final product. The best part is that Canva is free, with only a minimal cost of a dollar or two for specific images if needed.

Alternatively, you can hire a graphic designer or find a church volunteer within your congregation to create a sample digital church bulletin. You can adjust the text and images each week as needed.

The Goal of Your Digital Church Bulletin

Your digital church bulletin is the first impression of your church's Sunday service. The objective is to present an honest and concise snapshot of your church and its values.

A church bulletin typically includes the most critical information you want to communicate, such as:

A greeting
A welcome message
A note from the pastor
Announcements
Financial updates
Prayer requests
Sermon notes
A "connect with us" section

A digital church bulletin can be as simple as a PDF version of the printed bulletin every Sunday. You can use the same document and adjust it to be a convenient digital format. The digital version can feature links to various resources and social media accounts. You might even replace traditional church paperwork with a smartphone-friendly format that users can quickly scroll through.

Key Information Up Front

This section should contain the most essential information. Update the bulletin with the current date so it can be archived by your church historian later. Ensure your church name and logo are prominently displayed as the primary information at the top.

Following the church name, include a picture graphic representing the current sermon series your pastor delivers. This graphic should be large enough to cover about one-third of the front page, capturing the attention of those viewing the bulletin. A well-produced image is essential since most of your bulletin will be text.

If you're not a graphic designer, don't worry. Numerous resources provide free media for sermon or church announcement slides, worship lyric backgrounds, and bulletin design. These can help you create visually appealing bulletins without needing advanced design skills.

The bottom third of the greeting section can be used for other critical information. You might include the church's mission statement or a message from the pastor. Additionally, you could list the names of the pastors along with their contact information.

No matter what you decide to include, remember that this bulletin serves as visitors' first impression. Therefore, prioritise sharing the most essential information you want new attendees to know about your church. Design with the mindset that this is your opportunity to effectively convey your church's values and critical details.

There are numerous options for what to include on the next page, slide, or section of your digital church bulletin. Choose the options that your church feels most comfortable with communicating.

A Welcome Note From the Pastor

If you didn't include this in the greeting, take this opportunity to welcome visitors and provide a brief introduction to the pastor. Make an effort to ensure first-time visitors feel welcome.

Announcements

Church announcements are crucial. Keep event announcements up-to-date to maintain credibility. Nothing undermines trust faster than outdated event information.

Only some events need to be listed in the bulletin. Events over three months away only need a "save the date." Use this section to highlight your church's top priorities so visitors see a well-rounded calendar of events and ministries.

Provide event details in clear, concise sentences. For example:

"Church Picnic: June 4th at 12:30 p.m. at 123 Church Street."

is much more precise than:

"Join us two Sundays from now for our All Church Picnic; everyone is invited! It will be at the same location as our Easter Egg Hunt."

Give specific information so people can quickly note details in their phone or planner without further clarification.

This section can also highlight significant events in your members' lives, such as engagements, weddings, pregnancies, or births. Additionally, you can include sympathetic announcements for members who have recently lost a loved one.

If you need more activities to fill the space, don't worry. You can include plenty of other things in your digital church bulletin.

Prayer Requests

Including prayer requests from your congregation in the bulletin adds a personal touch. Keep these requests updated in a way that suits your process, as people are good at informing you of new needs but less so when needs are resolved. Consider adding a link to your church's prayer request email, the "Contact Us" page, or creating a dedicated submission section. Sharing these concerns is a powerful tool for community support.

Financial Updates

Transparency in church finances varies. You can include details like projected tithing, last week's tithe, total expenses, or total tithes received. If fundraising for a specific need, include those details as well. This information ensures members are informed and engaged.

How to Communicate

Most printed bulletins include a perforated section that allows congregants to tear off and submit prayer requests, interest in service opportunities, or new visitor information. These slips can be deposited at a designated location at the end of the service.

While a digital church bulletin can't offer a physical tear-off tab, it can still facilitate communication between members, visitors, and church staff. You can provide an email address or a link to your website's "Contact Us" section for easy access.

Sermon Notes

Sermon notes consist of simple bullet points from the pastor, enabling congregants to follow along during the sermon. There's no right or wrong way to present sermon notes.

Some pastors might prefer fill-in-the-blank notes to engage the congregation, while others may offer complete outlines for later self-study. Regardless of the format, this section is a valuable tool to help the congregation stay engaged and attentive during the weekly sermon.

For a more interactive experience, consider using the best Bible app for note-taking to enhance your congregation's engagement during sermons.

Get started